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Arizona Governor Doug Ducey overruled President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris with an Executive Order directing the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to immediately fill in the gaps in the Yuma border wall.
Ducey said that “Arizona has has enough.”
The border has been the hot topic in this administration and during Trump’s, especially with regards to building a wall.
Governor Ducey said, “We can’t wait any longer. The Biden administration’s lack of urgency on border security is a dereliction of duty. For the last two years, Arizona has made every attempt to work with Washington to address the crisis on our border. Time and time again we’ve stepped in to clean up their mess. Arizonans can’t wait any longer for the federal government to deliver on their delayed promises.”
He also mentioned that the border and influx of people are putting a massive strain on the people closest to the border.
“Our border communities are being used as the entryway to the United States, overwhelming law enforcement, hospitals, nonprofits and residents,” Governor Ducey said.
The Biden administration hasn’t been active in combatting the invasion happening at our southern border.
Ducey said, “It’s our responsibility to protect our citizens and law enforcement from this unprecedented crisis. With the resources and manpower in the right places, our Border Patrol and law enforcement will be better equipped to do their jobs well and prevent cartels from exploiting our communities. That’s exactly what our barrier mission will do.”
Jonathan Lines, Yuma County Supervisor, said, “National security starts with border security. Biden’s border crisis deteriorates daily while the White House is silent.”
“Border communities like Yuma bear the burden of a broken border while narcotics poison our youth, human smuggling rises and mass amounts of migrants wear on our nonprofits. Beyond that, the seizure of counterfeit products at our ports of entry affects American businesses. Governor Ducey has been a consummate partner, coordinating and leading state and local resources to do what the federal government won’t: secure the border.”
The Yuma mayor added that the infrastructure of Yuma isn’t ready for this invasion.
“The Yuma community does not have the infrastructure to handle thousands of people crossing the border in need of food, shelter and medical services,” said Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls.
“The surge of migrants the federal government has allowed to trek over the border has the grave potential to greatly impact and strain our community. Washington must send a clear message that this is not the way to immigrate to our country.”
“Too many migrants make the treacherous journey that puts their lives in danger and exposes them to exploitation by cartels. Yuma has experienced the worst of the border crisis. We’re grateful to Governor Ducey for ingraining himself in this issue and finding solutions.”
Ducey’s office released a statement and in it described the actions they would take. Fortifying the border wall will be 60 double-stacked shipping containers, reinforced with concertina wire at the top.
They said the shipping containers will reach about 22-feet high and that the “state-owned, 8,800 pounds, 9-by-40 feet containers will be linked together and welded shut.
The border wall built during the Trump Administration is 30-feet high.
Construction began Friday morning on the 1,000-foot gap in the border wall near Yuma, Arizona. It is being built by a 25-person team and they hope to complete the project over the weekend.
The Yuman sector saw 235,230 migrant encounters from October 2021 to June 2022.
The project cost approximately $6 million to complete.
